Court House: Hallway

Jason pulled Elizabeth into a corner and glared at her. “What the hell was all of that?” he demanded.

“Me saving your ass again,” Elizabeth retorted. “You could act a little grateful.”

“Do you have any idea what would happen if they found out?” Jason asked.

“I don’t care,” she hissed. “You didn’t kill anyone, Jason.” She frowned. “Well…you didn’t kill Alcazar anyway. And I wasn’t going to be the reason you were sent to Death Row.”

Jason took a deep breath. “I didn’t want you to lie.”

“Who says I was lying?” Elizabeth asked. “Sure, I fudged a few details but anything I said about the conversation at Kelly’s…well, how do you know that’s not what really happened?”

Jason frowned. “And that stuff about why we’re not friends anymore?”

“Oh, no. That was completely true,” Elizabeth told him. “You treated me like dirt and I decided I wouldn’t stand for it. Am I excused now?”

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Jason said, filing the information away for later.

“Okay, well, the next time I promise I’ll make sure you get lethal injection,” Elizabeth retorted. “Can I go now?” She moved past him but Jason caught her arm.

“Thank you.”

She sighed. “You’re welcome.”

Other End of the Hallway

“That went better than I could have hoped,” Alexis said. “It was slightly unethical, but you know what? How do we know that’s not what happened, right?”

“She’s the best liar I’ve ever seen,” Ric said, slightly amazed. “I mean, she was charming and completely believable.” He shook his head. “But I still want to know how Baldwin knew to check those security tapes.”

“Oh, who really cares? He strengthened our case for us. Elizabeth totally swung believability our way,” Alexis said. “And you know what? I don’t think she had any idea where Baldwin was going until he brought up Luke’s.”

“Do you think she really slapped Courtney?” Ric asked.

“God, I hope so. You think Baldwin won’t call her now? He’s got know that Courtney’s probably going to lie on the stand. I think he knew that and that’s why he called Elizabeth first.”

“He was hoping she’d be the scorned girlfriend and use the chance to get back at Jason,” Ric stated.

“Elizabeth is classier than that,” Alexis confided.

Brenda appeared at Alexis’s side. “I want to meet Elizabeth Webber this second,” she stated. “She is my new hero–” She looked to Ric. “Question though. You are dating her right?”

Ric shrugged. “We went out to dinner twice. I’m not sure if that counts.”

“Here’s a tip. If you let her go, I’ll hurt you. So, where is the woman who saved my life?”

“Jason dragged her off to yell at her presumably,” Alexis said. “Your life isn’t saved yet, Brenda.”

“Well, yeah, but its closer than it was this morning,” Brenda replied. “Hey, anyone have any idea how Baldwin knew about the Kelly’s thing?”

“No idea. I’m going to go ask, though. Whoever it is must know what really happened and we need to get it taken care of,” Alexis said. She moved away to go track down Scott.

“Elizabeth did help a lot with the case. As long as Scott can’t prove the marriage is fake, we can discredit AJ and Skye’s testimony pretty easily. And if he doesn’t call Courtney, we might be out of the woods,” Ric told Brenda.

“I know. It’s great isn’t it?” Brenda grinned. “I need to find Elizabeth.”

Corner

Elizabeth had made it five steps away from Jason before Courtney stepped in front of her.

“Are you happy?” Courtney asked. “You’ve just sent Jason to Death row.”

Jason quickly came to Elizabeth’s defense before she could open her mouth. “Courtney, don’t. She didn’t do anything.”

“She went to Baldwin!” Courtney hissed.

“Hey, keep your voice down,” Elizabeth said, looking around. “After everything I just did, I’d hate to get it screwed up by you.” She glared at the blonde before walking away.

“What’s she talking about?” Courtney demanded. “What happened in there?”

“Elizabeth Webber saved the day,” Brenda said dramatically, throwing an arm around Jason’s shoulders. “She’s a great girl. The best. Where is she anyway?”

“She went that way,” Jason said, pointing to where Elizabeth was speaking to Ric. Brenda rolled her eyes.

“I just came from over there,” she groaned. “Will that girl just stay still already?”

“Why don’t you go chase her?” Courtney asked, pointedly.

Brenda shook her head. “No, chasing people seems to be your job.”

“Brenda,” Jason said, gritting his teeth.

“Aww, sweetie, you know I don’t mean it. How did Elizabeth put it? The stress of the trial is getting to me,” Brenda remarked. She gave Jason a big kiss on the cheek before taking off again.

“That woman is ridiculous,” Courtney said, shaking her head. “What happened?”

“Elizabeth’s testimony went well,” Jason said shortly. “Better than we hoped.”

“But she went to Baldwin,” Courtney replied.

Jason frowned. “You don’t really think she’d do that, do you?”

Courtney looked around before taking a step closer to him. “Look…I-I didn’t want to tell you this, but I guess I don’t have a choice. I saw Elizabeth meeting with him,” she confided in a quiet voice.

Jason stared at her in surprise. He knew she was lying–there was no way for Courtney to be telling truth without making Elizabeth incredibly insane for going to Baldwin and then completely lying on the stand.

“No,” Jason said, quietly. “She didn’t. Someone overheard a conversation I had with Elizabeth months ago and Baldwin was going to use that. Someone also tipped him off with the security tapes from Kelly’s last month.” Jason looked away and put his hands on his hips. “Elizabeth explained it all away without once putting any suspicion on either of us.”

“Jason, I saw her,” Courtney said, sighing. “I know you want to think that she’s this wonderful person–”

“I don’t have time for this right now,” Jason interrupted impatiently. “We can’t be seen together.” He walked away, leaving Courtney standing by herself. Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head.

“I knew it,” she said softly.

Elizabeth was talking to Ric when she felt someone turn her around. Brenda threw her arms around the other woman. When she pulled away, she had a dazzling smile on her face. “I just know you and I are going to be great friends.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Even though I insulted your beloved husband every chance I had?” she asked, teasing.

“Especially since you insulted my beloved husband. How did that nut ever let you go?” Brenda asked her, shaking her head.

Ric coughed. “Uh, Brenda?”

“Sorry,” Brenda said. “I bet Ric’s glad Jason’s an idiot.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and laughed. “What do tou say we go grab some lunch? I bet we can insult him more.”

“You are so on,” Brenda said. She looked to Ric, and slung an arm around Elizabeth’s shoulders. “Finally, another woman to insult Jason with.” She looked to Elizabeth. “Darling, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Elizabeth giggled and Ric just shook his head. Brenda was a trip. Brenda pulled away and sighed. “All right. I’m hungry. Where’s a cafeteria when you need it?”

 PC Courthouse: Cafeteria

Brenda took a big bite out of her hoagie and closed her eyes. “Mmmmm…” she moaned. “So good.” She looked to Elizabeth who was picking at a salad. “Hey, you staying for the rest of the trial? You’re allowed in the courtroom, aren’t you?”

Elizabeth looked to Alexis who was seated next to Brenda and eating yogurt. “I don’t know, am I?”

Alexis nodded. “Scott didn’t reserve the right to recall you, so you should be allowed in there.”

Ric slid into a seat next to Elizabeth–an action that made Jason frown. He shifted in his chair next to Brenda. “All right, I managed to get a transcript of Elizabeth’s testimony to Courtney so their stories will jive,” Ric said. He sighed. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Alexis stuck her fingers in her ears. “Lalala, I didn’t hear that,” she sang.

Brenda stared at her lawyer, amused. “What?”

“Alexis wants to plea plausible deniability if it’s found out just how badly you lied on the stand,” Ric told her.

Elizabeth shoved her salad towards him. “Here, I can’t eat anymore.”

Brenda frowned. “What? You barely had two bites. No wonder you’re a twig.”

Elizabeth eyed Brenda’s plate which was practically overflowing with the hoagie, a side of potato chips and a pickle, not to mention the oversized triple thick chocolate milkshake. “We can’t all have the metabolism of an energizer bunny,” Elizabeth remarked, dryly.

“We can’t all starve ourselves either,” Brenda pointed out. She ate a pickle and shook her head. “You’re not anorexic are you?”

“No, I’m just not big on processed food,” Elizabeth said. “I don’t trust food if I don’t see how it was made.”

Brenda frowned. “What, do you cook a lot or something?”

Jason snorted involuntarily and Elizabeth glared at him. “Hey, my soup wasn’t that bad,” she said.

“The first hundred bowls, no,” Jason replied. “I still can’t eat the stuff.”

“Mental note,” Brenda murmured. “Stock the penthouse with soup. You have a particular kind you hate?”

Jason glared at her.

“I eat at Kelly’s a lot,” Elizabeth told Brenda. “And Jason’s actually right–I can’t cook to save my life. Well, I can bake. Brownies and stuff.”

“Brownies?” Brenda’s eyes lit up. “Like chocolate?”

Elizabeth nodded. “Just ask Carly. I made her triple chocolate fudge brownies when I thought Sonny was dead.”

“You made Carly Corinthos brownies?” Brenda asked, incredulous. “Don’t tell me you like that viper.”

“No, I was just being nice. Carly and I called a temporary truce while I was staying with Jason,” Elizabeth remarked. “Hey, can I have a sip of your milkshake?”

Brenda shoved the cup towards her and Elizabeth took a healthy swallow before returning it.

Elizabeth finally noticed the looks the other three occupants of the table were giving her and Brenda. “What?”

“I’m sorry,” Alexis said, shaking her head. “I’ve just never met anyone so…Brenda-like. How did I not see this before?”

“I was dead for four years,” Brenda volunteered. “The comparison is hard to make otherwise.”

“And this is the first time we’ve really even talked,” Elizabeth said, helpfully.

Brenda looked at Jason with a huge grin. “Isn’t this the best? Two of the only women in town who don’t like you getting along?”

Jason glared at her. “Brenda–” he began.

“Hey, hey, be nice in public,” Ric admonished. “Yell at her later.”

“Don’t worry he will,” Brenda remarked. “I don’t think he’d admit it, but he loves to yell at me.”

“You yell at me, too,” Jason protested.

“I know. It’s fun,” Brenda said. She looked to Elizabeth. “What do you think?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “Don’t know. Most of our fights aren’t humorous.”

Brenda frowned. “What do you argue about?”

“Brenda,” Jason said quickly, “This really isn’t the place.”

“You’re right,” Brenda remarked. She looked at Elizabeth. “Later? You’ll make me some brownies and we’ll trade horror stories?”

Jason sighed and sat back in his chair, shaking his head. This couldn’t turn out well.

“Sure,” Elizabeth agreed, easily. “Just let me know the time and place.”

Brenda’s eyes lit up. “Oooh, how about tonight at eight?”

“I have to cut in,” Alexis said. “It might not be a good idea for Brenda to be seen with Elizabeth. I mean, I’m glad you get along, but we don’t want Scott claming we told her to lie.”

Brenda wrinkled her nose. “We didn’t. She decided that on her own.” She looked to Elizabeth. “By the way, you’re totally my hero right now.” She chomped on a chip before saying, “And anyway, wouldn’t it be Jason you wouldn’t want her around? Seeing her being nice to his wife completely shoots Baldwin’s scorned girlfriend theory out of the water.”

“I think Elizabeth shot that theory out of the water all by herself,” Alexis said. She shook her head. “I don’t like that you did it, Elizabeth, but if you had to do it, you did a great job.” She shuddered. “Let’s just hope Courtney can do it as well.”

Brenda snorted. “That girl? You should be lucky she can get dressed in the morning without hurting herself.” She covered her mouth with a hand. “Oooh, probably shouldn’t insult the other woman, huh?”

Jason just rolled his eyes and looked away. Ric checked his watch and started to stand. “We should head back. It’s nearly two o’clock.”

Brenda stood and gathered what was left of her lunch. “Come on, Elizabeth. You’re sitting behind me.” She tossed her lunch in the trash and wound her arm through the other brunette’s arm. “We brunettes have to stick together or the blondes in this town will start taking over.” She started to drag her towards the door, Ric following with a bemused expression on his face.

Jason stared after his wife and former best friend with a troubled look. Alexis stood at his side and sighed. “Not easy, huh?” she asked.

Jason frowned and looked at her. “What?”

Alexis shrugged. “Realizing you let the best thing in your life walk away,” she remarked as she headed for the door.

Jason started to argue, realized she was right and shut up before following her.

Courtroom

Carly watched Brenda and Elizabeth whispering conspiratorially over the divider of the courtroom. She leaned forward and tapped on Jason’s shoulder.

He turned. “What?”

Carly gestured towards the brunettes. “What’s going on there?”

Jason followed her eyes and shook his head. “Nothing good.”

“I hear Little Miss Muffin did pretty well on the stand,” Carly replied. “I’m surprised she didn’t start crying.”

Jason tossed her a nasty look as the judge called the court into session.

Scott stood and cleared his throat. “My next witness is Courtney Quartermaine.”

← Chapter Two | Chapter Four →